National Republican., 1887-12-07

action OF the government would be readily
accepted by tho bondholders. The Presi
dent opposes tie distribution Of money In
the banks, but his reasoning on this subject
is not at all conclusive.
Altogether his message upon the surplus
comes to ia most lame and impotent conclu-
sion.n He states some facts showing that
the country has been, as the NATIONAL kE-
PUBLICAN has said, upon the verge oil
great financial crisis, but he suggests no
remedy for the future, leaving that to the
brighter Imagination or greater legal aud
financial learning OF the legislative depart
ment.
Upon the subject OF the tariff President
Cleveland is more specific. He speaks OF
tour scheme OF taxationn as consisting OF
the collection OF internal revenue and
Of "duties levied upon importations from
abroad" The internal duties, he thinks,
ought to remain, as they furnish revenue
"without hardship to any portion OF the
people"
And then President Cleveland says:
But our present tariff laws, the vicious, in.
equitable, and illogical source Of unnecessary
taxation. ought to be at once revised aud
amended. These laws, as their primary aud
plain effect, raise the price 10 consumers OF ali
articles imported and subject to duty by pre-
cisely the sum paid for such duties. Thus the
amount Of the duty measures the tax paid by
those who purchase for use these ian oort5d
articles.
The President then repeats the long since
exploded idea that the amount Of duty Is
added to the cost of any article mauufac-
tured at home, which is fallacy that even
the tyros in argument for free trade have
abandoned.
But President Cleveland does not Intend
to allow his position on the tariff to b.
misunderstood After dcnouncing n as
"vlcious and iuequltable" he says at is
not proposed to entirely relieve the country
OF this taxation" Aud having said this h
gives a reason in these words "It must be
crtcH5irely continued as Me source ot The gjc.
Ci1lmc,d'S income
There Is but one Inference to bs Ira Va
| from this, whicn is chat IL the govern
ment could exist without the money col
ltcted from customs duties there ought to
| be free trade.n That is the sun and SUB.
stance of the words used.
The President then enters into a long
argument composed OF fdlld;ies to show
why wool should be made free, because It
| puts tax on clothing, but says nothing Ia
favor of free sugar, which every one
knows without argument Is tax on evAry
one from the cradle TO the grave.
The message is an open declaration OF
war upon the American protective system
| 1t was intended as such. The Republicans
gladly accept the gage of battle. The
| Democrats cannot deny the policy which
their President lays down and palter with
double meaning words. President Ceve
land at least has the courage OF his convlc.
tions, and however bad his policy may be-
is entitled to credit for openly avowlng hi;
adherence to the English policy and Eng
lish interests.
The message says absolutely nothing
upon any Of the other great questions now
before the people. The navy, the merchant
marine, the protection Of the seacoast,
transportation, the telegraphs, the posta
savings banks, silver coinage, interoceanit
communication, foreign affairs are passet
by without word.
The message is SURPRISE and Is the
strongest possible evidence that Grove
Cleveland is q candidate for the presidency
in lsSS, depending upon the solid soutt
ard the importers and bondholders OF tn
city Of New York for reelection.